(1). Field of the Disclosure
The field of the disclosure relates to disposal systems of malodorous waste packages, namely soiled diapers.
(2). Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Soiled diapers and/or other waste items can generate unpleasant odors, especially over extended time periods. Consequently, placing such waste items in a waste container that does not provide adequate sealing can result in the undesirable result of having odors escape into the surrounding environment.
At present, there are numerous diaper disposal pails on the market; however, none are entirely satisfactory. Diaper pails presently on the market simply have tops that cover a container housing the soiled diapers, yet such tops are not hands-free; They therefore require a user to grasp a handle, a latch, or the like to open the container in order to dispose of the diaper. Accordingly, such diaper pails serve as adequate disposal containers, yet are still unable to contain or mask the stench of soiled diapers because upon opening the diaper pail top, the stench will almost certainly waft out of the container. Some diaper pails have add-on products such as carbon filters or baking soda cartridges to absorb or neutralize odors; these may not be completely effective solutions given that the bags within the diaper pails are not sealed off to prevent odors from escaping once the top of the diaper pail is opened.
Other diaper pails such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,519, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, have flexible material separating the main body cavity of the pail from an upper portion of the pail. However, such diaper pails still do not afford hands-free disposal and require the user to forcefully push the diaper by hand through the flexible webbing into the main body cavity of the pail. In addition, although there may be a twisting mechanism in an effort to contort and seal off a neck of the bag, the flexibility of the material fails to create a tight seal thereby leaving gaps allowing odors to escape through the bag opening.
Another receptacle such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,526, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a receptacle with a rotatably mounted holder. When a user steps on a foot pedal, the holder rotates to twist and untwist a bag. While an upper portion of the bag is fixed to the receptacle, a lower portion of the bag is adhered to the holder using a double-sided adhesive tape so that the bag rotates with the holder. However, this receptacle has its disadvantages in that the bag maintains its twisted formation only when the top is closed. Upon pressing down the foot pedal, the top opens, the holder rotates, and the bag opens causing the unpleasant odors to flow out of the open bag.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for an improved diaper pail or waste container having a hands-free or touch-free means for enhanced confinement of malodorous waste objects deposited into a container thereby retaining and preventing offensive odors from being emitted from the waste container. In other words, a desired waste disposal system would feature a means of depositing waste into a container while maintaining the bag in a closed formation for at least the duration of time that the top is open so that the user would not have to risk inhaling undesirable odors.
All referenced patents, applications and literatures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. The disclosure may seek to satisfy one or more of the above-mentioned desires. Although the present disclosure may obviate one or more of the above-mentioned desires, it should be understood that some aspects of the disclosure might not necessarily obviate them.